“Most adult Americans believe that massage therapy can be beneficial in managing and relieving pain, and a new consumer survey released ... by the American Massage Therapy Association® (AMTA®) reveals that nearly half the people surveyed (49 percent) have acted on that belief and used massage therapy for pain. In fact, 90 percent of consumers believe that massage therapy can be effective in reducing pain. Among those who have received massage for pain, massage therapy followed only medication as the form of pain relief respondents said gave the greatest relief from pain. ... Consumers are so convinced about the benefits of massage therapy that 65 percent would recommend it to someone they know.
“Consumers aren’t the only ones who recognize massage therapy can be beneficial to overall health and wellness. Healthcare providers are increasingly discussing the benefits of massage with their patients. In fact, one in five consumers (20 percent) indicated they had discussed massage therapy with their doctor or other healthcare provider. ... Among those who discussed massage therapy with their healthcare provider, 62 percent said massage was strongly recommended or encouraged for them. Physicians were the most likely to recommend massage therapy. ...
“ ‘Massage therapy continues to be popular for relaxation and stress relief, and this year’s survey findings demonstrate that consumers and their healthcare providers recognize that massage therapy has many health benefits, including the ability to help manage and relieve pain,’ said Laurel J. Freeman, president of AMTA. ‘Clinical research has shown that massage is effective in caring for a broad range of ailments, and can be more effective for chronic back pain than other complementary therapies. It can help alleviate the perception of pain and anxiety in cancer patients, lessen pain in those who have undergone heart bypass surgery, and stimulate the brain to produce endorphins.’ Massage therapy also can help relieve stress and help reduce heart rate and blood pressure. Research has shown that massage can boost the body’s immune system functioning and increase the body’s natural “killer cells” activity.” (from AMTA website)
